Broward prosecutors take ‘measured approach’ in case of teen accused of killing grandmother
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Broward prosecutors are taking “a measured approach” as they determine whether the 14-year-old accused of beating her grandmother to death will be charged as an adult.
At a Wednesday hearing, prosecutor Gloria Moschella said she’s working with defense attorneys to have the girl sit through a psychological evaluation. She added the state attorney’s office wants the police investigation into the murder to conclude before making a decision.
The teen, whom the Miami Herald isn’t naming because of her age, is facing a second-degree murder charge in connection to the May 23 deadly beating of 79-year-old Yevheniia Koval.
READ MORE: Is mental health linked to 14 year old accused of killing her grandmother in Broward?
Amid the pending decision on how she’ll be charged, both prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to extend the teen’s detention for 21 days. If that agreement hadn’t been reached, the girl could have been released by Friday.
“Our prosecutors will thoroughly review all of the evidence, facts and circumstances of the case and a decision will be made regarding any formal charges and whether the case would be handled in adult or juvenile court,” the state attorney’s office previously told the Miami Herald in a statement.
Seated in the jury box with other minors, the girl remained quiet throughout the proceeding. When her potential charges were read out, some of the children seated nearby flinched, with shocked expressions on their faces.
A Ukrainian interpreter beside the teen translated what the attorneys — and Broward Circuit Court Judge Elijah Williams — were saying. She had moved to the United States from Ukraine about eight months ago.
The teen’s mother, who is still in Ukraine, attended the court appearance via Zoom. Her father, however, stood behind the assistant public defenders.
Is mental health a concern?
Shortly after midnight on May 23, Broward deputies and paramedics arrived at an apartment in the 4100 block of Northwest 41st Street in Lauderdale Lakes, where they found Koval on the ground with bruises on her body, court records show.
Koval’s son, who told deputies he had left the house at 7 p.m. to visit a friend, was the one who found Koval, according to an affidavit. She had bruising all over her body and abrasions to her neck, face and head.
An autopsy determined that Koval had bleeding inside the brain.
The girl had been exhibiting behavioral issues after witnessing the war in Ukraine and being separated from her mother, a police affidavit states.
Koval’s son, who’s the teen’s father, told investigators that she hadn’t been diagnosed with mental health problems, though she had been showing signs of aggression, the affidavit said. He also noted she hadn’t been eating or sleeping.
The teen, determined to be a possible harm to others and herself, was Baker Acted, or admitted to a psychiatric hospital by first responders, according to documents. She was transported to Fort Lauderdale Behavioral Health Center, where she was reportedly aggressive with hospital staff.
The girl will return to juvenile court in early July.
This story was originally published June 12, 2024 at 6:09 PM.
